And for your listening pleasure, we also devoted an episode of our new-ish monthly podcast, West of 100, to wandering the West. Tune in right here on our website, via our our RSS feed, or subscribe for free through iTunes, and take HCN with you on your morning commute, or better yet, on your next roadtrip.

The podcast is full of great ear candy: Journalist Scott Carrier and poet Alex Caldiero visit the Sun Tunnels, a far-flung art installation in the Utah desert. High Country News editorial fellow Neil LaRubbio gives us a peek into the world of modern hoboes. (Neil is producing a documentary, Freeload, about train hoppers; check out the trailer and contribute to his Kickstarter campaign here.) And from producer Jonathan Mitchell, A Beginner's Guide to Hitchhiking. We also rung up Elijah Wald, author of Riding With Strangers, a book about hitchhiking cross-country, to get some tips on the best -- and worst -- places to thumb rides in the West.